To Overtake or Not

[Chislenko]

I was on a road in Wales today which will after September become one of Mr. Drakeford's new 20 mph zones.

It was a long clear downhill road and to be fair I was free wheeling and still hitting 30 mph.

So assuming that motorists (for fear of fines) obey the 20 mph what do we do, keep feathering the brakes and stay behind or go past them. Reading the guidelines from the Welsh Government the 20 does not apply to cyclists.

I am asking this question for opinions of what individuals feel they would do as cyclists so please keep on subject.

Please don't answer with views on the 20 limit or slagging off the Senedd or Wales in general or the thread will no doubt be closed and recommended for NACA.

 

[Alex321]

They are right that speed limits don't apply to cyclists. All speed limits only apply to motor vehicles, except those in Richmond Park.

There are already quite a few 20 limits, and I set one of those speed indicators off at 22mph in one this morning - on the flat

I also got overtaken a couple of times in another one (once on the way in, once on the way home), both times when I was doing about 19-20mph. Motorists will rarely obey the 20 limit, although many will stay well below 30 - even the consultation paper only expected average free-flowing traffic speeds to drop from 31 (in the current 30 limits) to 25 (in the new 20 limits).

But if they do, and it is safe to overtake, I see no reason not to other than the fact you may antagonise them, and it is another argument for those who claim cyclists never obey the rules (eve though this one doesn't apply)

 

[Slick]

Got to admit, I do like a good downhill stretch just to let everything go and see what speed you can reach, but that's in open countryside with a 60mph limit. Depending on the traffic, I reckon I would be happy to sit behind most things at 20mph, unless of course they were nose to tail.

 

[Chief Broom]

If its safe go for it but cant imagine many scenarios where it would be... Many drivers hardly use their mirrors and some dont indicate so coming past on a bike is very risky imho Having once been forced into a stone wall [when on a motorcycle] by a careless driver i would err on the side of caution and avoidance of hospital food

 

[T4tomo]

Goes into the pointless overtake category, especially as you're in a town / village centre and soon enough the car will want to retake you.

Feather brakes and stay behind it and enjoy the tow once the road levels out / speed limit changes

 

[Drago]

I probably wouldn't. Ultimately it isn't going to get me where I'm going any quicker, so why introduce an opportunity for additional risk and danger?

 

[Chislenko]

But if they do, and it is safe to overtake, I see no reason not to other than the fact you may antagonise them, and it is another argument for those who claim cyclists never obey the rules (eve though this one doesn't apply)

That sentence sums up the reason I was asking the question and if it may lead to even more "friction" between the motorist and the cyclist.

 

[Time Waster]

Even if speed limits don't apply to cyclists do you not feel a moral imperative to obey them as much as the motorists do?

 

[Solocle]

They are right that speed limits don't apply to cyclists. All speed limits only apply to motor vehicles, except those in Richmond Park.

There are already quite a few 20 limits, and I set one of those speed indicators off at 22mph in one this morning - on the flat

I also got overtaken a couple of times in another one (once on the way in, once on the way home), both times when I was doing about 19-20mph. Motorists will rarely obey the 20 limit, although many will stay well below 30 - even the consultation paper only expected average free-flowing traffic speeds to drop from 31 (in the current 30 limits) to 25 (in the new 20 limits).

But if they do, and it is safe to overtake, I see no reason not to other than the fact you may antagonise them, and it is another argument for those who claim cyclists never obey the rules (eve though this one doesn't apply)

Royal Parks speed limits don't apply to cyclists either. https://road.cc/content/news/cyclists-richmond-park-face-crackdown-speeding-295361

One speed limit that does seem to apply to cyclists is the 40 mph limit on the A87 Skye Bridge, and part of an adjacent 30 limit in Kyle of Lochalsh. Fastest I've seen on Strava is 44!

That limit applies because it's a Special Road, and the regulation says "vehicles". Thus it's Section 17 RTRA, not Section 81-84.

Note, this is also a Special Road, but the wording isn't easily findable.

 

[cougie uk]

Hmmm.
Whats the reason for the 20 limit ? Safety and pollution ?
So I'd not be paying too much attention to the limit - my mass is tiny compared to a powered vehicle and there's obv no pollution.

I'd probably not be overtaking cars though - why antagonise people ?

Did I tell you about the time I overtook a Ferrari on a descent in Wales ? :-)

 

[fossyant]

It's going to be interesting in a month's time. I cycle in Wales most weekends, so I'll be a bit picky of my route as cars will be getting in my way, or, I'll have a nice tow at about 25 mph !

All for it to be honest, and many towns already have this in place, certainly those on the West Coast - took ages getting to Cardigan going through all the villages at 20.

 

[Solocle]

Hmmm.
Whats the reason for the 20 limit ? Safety and pollution ?
So I'd not be paying too much attention to the limit - my mass is tiny compared to a powered vehicle and there's obv no pollution.

I'd probably not be overtaking cars though - why antagonise people ?

Did I tell you about the time I overtook a Ferrari on a descent in Wales ? :-)

I once overtook a rather swanky car (can't remember, it might have been an Aston Martin) on Cowley Road in Oxford . 20 mph limit, which they were obeying. I was cruising at 25 on a quiet evening. It was safe and legal to overtake, so I did. We were almost certainly heading different ways once at the City Centre, so no danger of holding them up.

 

[Alex321]

Hmmm.
Whats the reason for the 20 limit ? Safety and pollution ?

Almost entirely safety.

 

[DogmaStu]

Generally, I wouldn't overtake a car in a 20mph zone.

That said, if it is safe to do so and I'm chasing a segment time or just in TT mode, then, yeah, I'll overtake.

I have had a cop wag a finger at me though for sprinting through a village - and there is always a risk that the police could stop us for 'wanton and furious cycling' without due care. In their opinion.

 

[wiggydiggy]

I'd never overtake a car where it is travelling as fast as it it is legally going or wants to as I have no idea if it is being driven by a petty minded fool who is now annoyed a cyclist overtook them and wants some sort of revenge.

I actually prefer to stay begind the 'lead' vehicle if it is slower (mostly on downhills) especially if there is something behind me, that way the people behind can see it is not me that is holding them up.

Is it wrong I have been made to feel that way, perhaps, but for my own enjoyment of cycling thats what I prefer.